Skanda as a guardian god of Lanka the significance of the Tamil slab-inscription from Budumuttava

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University of Peradeniya

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The god of Kataragama identified by many as Skanda is one of the four guardian-gods of Sri Lanka. These guardian gods occupy an important position in the Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition and images of these divinities are found installed in many Buddhist temples. Besides, there are many separate shrines called devale dedicated for the worship of these divinities; also other are separate devales dedicated only to these deities. One of the earliest of such shrines could be assigned to the 14th century. Many of them are endowed with lands granted by kings in former times. Each devale has a traditional system of management in respect of temple ; services and the administration of its endowments. The importance of the guardian gods is highlighted by the perahera or annual festival. In Kandy, four guardian-deities namely Skanda, Visnu, Natha and Pattini - are venerated annually in the of Esala Perahara in colourful procession held along with the procession of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This festivalhas been conducted with an almost unbroken continuity since the 17th century'. This annual festival is said to have been re-organized on an elaborate scale under Kirtti Sri Rajasingha in the 18th century.

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Proceedings and Abstract of the Annual Research Sessions, December 16, 2000, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka pp 33-38

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